Do you remember how I mentioned I was going to be on a gastronomic tour organized by FIJI Water, all in the name of charity? Well I had a wonderful time and would like to share with you each of the 6* restaurants where we enjoyed the specially curated Signature Dishes. Because of the tour I think I might go back to some of them since I know what they are about now.

1.

We first started the tour at Absinthe (at Boat Quay), where we had delightful foie gras terrine with warm brioche. It was rich, it was indulgent, but what a way to start a day. We were also given some bubbly, AND some white wine that was paired thoughtfully with the dish.

I've heard a lot of good things about Absinthe, and if the brioche foie gras is anything to go by, I think I'll be back to try out more things!

Next stop, Japanese restaurant Hashi at the Outram area. This was an interesting one - prawn with dashi stock jelly and grilled eggplant and scallop. It was really refreshing because its a chilled dish, and the jelly an interesting twist to the usual soup stock. Chock full of umami, though I thought the charred eggplant was a little too charred for me (distracting!)

I like Hashi because they played with wood and fabric textures, and used light as a decoration element too.

Here's the the interior - I'm happy to say that we had a huge bunch of people on the tour with us, and this is just two mini buses!

3.

Third one was interesting because it is at The Tippling Club at Dempsey, which was recently named 45th in the top 50 bars in the world to drink in, and I probably would not have a chance to sample the food there if not for the tour because it never came to mind! The interior was really quirky with hanging bottles in the ceiling, and cosy.

There's also al fresco sitting, but its more like meal time area for mozzies :P

Various booze bottles on display. Love the skull ones!

We had a very delicious glass of red to go with the meal. Whoever paired the wines did a good job because they are all light, fruity and complementary, never overpowering.

This was our pigeon with quinoa, which was really excellent mainly because the textures played well together, in just the right portion. I was slightly apprehensive about pigeon, since they can be quite gamey, but this was not at all.

Look how beautifully pink it was on the inside!

4.

Next was the Pelican at One Fullerton. I did not even know an American-style seafood 'diner' exists there. Now I do, and I also know that it has really good "Boston-style" seafood platters.

The decor of the place was really pleasant. They had a 'maritime' theme, and it felt like Andy Warhol's version of 50 Leagues Under the Sea (see that pink seahorse on the wall?).

A big bar for you to order a drink or 5.

We had the Lobster Thermidor from the Pelican. It was probably my favorite till then, because it was RICE (!! well, sort of), and it was coated with cheese and the lobster taste was rich and strong and made me feel like I want to go diving. Or something to that effect. This, I felt was too little. I could have probably eaten another portion, despite having already eaten 4 dishes and drunk 4 glasses of wine..

5.

Now, the Fat Cow is probably one of the restaurants I've always been meaning to go, but keep forgetting. And for some reason I had the impression that it is Western-styled steaks so imagine my surprise to learn that Fat Cow is in fact very Japanese, despite the fact that the chef is Caucasian.

We had some red wine to start, and the Chef shared with us the recipe for making the yummy wagyu no kakuni that we are going to have.

This was one of those "omg where is my huge bowl of rice" kind of dish because would you look at that? Imagine the wagyu beef melting in your mouth as the sweet soy, ginger and yuzu sauce that coats everything with extra taste. I finished this in three mouthfuls. And couldn't resist sipping the sauce after. A delicate portion, it was.

6.

Lastly, and finally, we drove to Keppel Bay for the newly revamped Privé Grill to taste the Hokkaido Corn and Shrimp Fritter with Lime Aioli.

It was really good as well - I love the frittered corn bits that was crunchy and sweet and the grilled prawn that was really solid in taste and texture. I can imagine this to be an excellent party dish actually! It made me want to try more of Prive's food.

7.

OK, so we were talking about how the tour needs to end with something sweet, though we were absolutely stuffed after a 6 hour eating tour with 6 dishes and 6 wines!

So very funnily we decided to continue with an unofficial 7th stop for desserts at Nana's Green Tea at Plaza Singapura, because.. who can resist matcha in all sorts of desserty form, coated with caramel syrup?

This is my favorite - the combo that has matcha ice cream, jelly, red bean, kidney beans and some mochi ball thing (that I didn't like). You can add your own syrup on top of it.

And of course we had FIJI Water along with our dessert, because it is important to keep hydrated!

That marks the end of the tour! Hope you guys had as much fun reading about them as I had going on them (nah I don't think so). Keep your eyes peeled for more awesome events organized by the most awesome water on earth, FIJI Water!

I was in town earlier today and chanced up a photo booth at Ngee Ann City Basement 2 by DBS! It was a promotion for a new service that comes along with the travel insurance you buy from them called TravelAlert Service.

Here's the photo from the booth. It's also uploaded on the DBS Facebook Page, and if you like my pic I might stand a chance to fly to Hong Kong! Vote for me pretty please?

The photo booth will be there till 9pm today and tomorrow from 12pm to 9pm so pop by and have some fun!

Here's how it works:

· Get your best pose on! Take your photo at the booth for FREE!
· Your photo will then be uploaded on to DBS Facebook Page after which you will need to tag yourself and share with everyone!
· Rally your friends to vote for you because for all you know, you may win a pair of tickets to Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific airways!
· Online voting ends 11 Nov at 12PM.

Anyway I thought it is pretty smart that DBS is providing this SMS alert service because the last time I travelled to Nepal, the Kathmandu airport runway cracked and my domestic flight was cancelled, so we had to take a 9 hour drive through the night, in the rain, to reach the airport so we can catch our next flight back to Singapore. If we had some warning ahead of them we would have made better arrangements!

The concept is simple. Get the insurance, and enter your HP details for SMSes to be sent to you.

From now till 31 Dec, if you purchase the above plans, you will get to enjoy 25% premium discount and get a free gift!

Here's a sample of how much it costs for a 4D3N trip to Thailand, which covers everything including flight delays or disruption.

Finally managed to pop by the relatively new cafe near our office for lunch. The Bravery Cafe is opened by the good folks from The Plain, which was near my ex-office. I am happy that somehow by chance, cafes always appear where I work no matter where I go.

I ordered the beef steak ciabatta ($13.50) because I've heard good things about it, and this is what happened after I ate. I left some of it behind because the serving is actually quite huge, and I couldn't finish all of it! Hover your mouse over the pic to view the before...

The beef ciabatta is actually one of the best I've had from cafes of late. The beef was tender and juicy, and had a layer of caramelized onions, melted cheese and chopped tomatoes in it. There was no side of chips or salad, but that's fine cos who cares about veggies when you have meat! The ciabatta was crusty and slightly tough, but the way it should be. No complains! Definitely a must-order like what my colleague said.

My colleague ordered the toast with eggs and avocado ($10.50), which looked equally delicious and somewhat healthier than our choice. This was the result. (Hover to view the before.)

The menu. The normal "rather pricey" range.

Here are some more pics of the place. It was empty when we visited at 12.30pm, but filled up to be half full by the time we left at 1.30pm. I'm happy to say that other than the smell of coffee, the place was quite well-ventilated and you do not smell like what you ate after leaving.

The coffee's pretty good. I had an iced coffee with milk and syrup (they will ask if you want it sweetened).

The door's concealed as one of the panels here. It's so hipster!

I think they need to find a better painter. LOL.

OK I know it was intentional.

I was just horsing around.

Love the furniture though! Very industrial and lofty.

Great place to go for a longer than usual lunch with some coffee and sandwiches if you are around the Lavender/Kallang area during week days. Go during week ends at your own risk because I heard it can be quite crowded!

Hover your mouse over to view the "before", click on the link if you are on mobile.

The parma ham was fresh, and the light bitter taste of the rocket contrasted well with it. All of this on a thin layer of tomato sauce and mozarella, with a thin crispy crust the way I liked it. I had a member's VIP card (borrowed from a friend) which means the 9" pizza was only $12. What a steal! If not for the rather warm temperatures both indoors and outdoors, I believe I will frequent Cafe Melba more (previous review of brunch here.)

I actually had the idea for a while of posting empty plates.. and I posted one this morning on instagram, with a description of what I had.

"Where in town can I find a restaurant to sample a choice selection of North Indian cuisine while having a fine dining experience?" Well, if that is the question, then Tandoor Restaurant at Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre (not the one near Zouk, but near Somerset) will be the answer. I was pleasantly surprised when I received an invite to try it out, but there's reason because it has just undergone its FIRST renovation since 28 years ago. That's.. older than I am. For a restaurant, that's quite a feat.

Took a shot while at the entrance, besides those beautiful flowers. Debuting my new saffiano leather tote from Rabeanco which I absolutely love.

This was how it looks like in the past. Notice those lamps?

And here's the revamped interior!

Much more contemporary and refreshingly light, don't you think?

We had a total of 1 mocktail, 2 cocktails, and the Dinner Gourmet Set ($68) that night. According to our host, Tandoor has kept to traditional Indian cuisine, but gave some of the items a bit of a contemporary feel after the revamp. That is not to say they are twisting it into fusion, no, but there might be a few surprises here and there.

For 15 items, separated into a starter, a soup, a plate with 5 appetizers on it, 5 main bowls of gravy-ish items to go with different types of naan AND a plate of dessert with 3 small dishes inside, I say that's quite the spread! Of course you could find all these food at a fraction of the price somewhere, but you won't be getting the pleasant experience nor assurance of standard across all so $68++ is a good price.

To start, probably my favorite drink among the 3 - the Sour plum guava lemongrass mocktail. Did you salivate already? Because I did. It was the perfect blend of sour, sweet and citrus, though I couldn't detect much of the lemongrass. Still, a great palate cleanser and appetizing drink!

The Bollywood Bellini was a mix of lychee, raspberry and champagne. Girly enough for you? Tastes fruity from the raspberry and bubbly! Would have preferred more lychee, but that's just me.

Last of all, the awesome-sounding drink, the Chai Mojito with spice-infused rum, mint, coriander and soda. Again I would prefer if they lay it on even thicker with the chai, because there was just a hint of it, but definitely a good concept to start.

Now comes the interesting part. Before we got started, the very friendly waiter told us to "pick a story card" after finding out that it is our very first time at Tandoor. Instavideo of us picking the card here. He explained that at Tandoor, every meal begins with an appetizing story.

That's how I got to know the story of the kebab. Apparently it was because during war, soldiers brought food, but they needed to stay for more days so they came up with this idea of skewering meat on sticks to cook them. Something along those lines. I was a little bit distracted with the story card and trying to post it on social media *sheepish*.

Well, on to the starters once we know the story!

Apparently Samosa Chat originated from Egypt because it is very portable and easy to store/consume. I learnt that from Tandoor as well (yay for learning). This samosa was interesting because of the pomegranate seeds which gave it that tart sweetness to contrast with the traditional filling, which I liked very much.

Some papadums to start too.. I liked the big black peppercorns in them that gave it the extra crunch.

And then something which I've never had before from Indian cuisine - chicken soup.

The Pudina Murg Shorba is a light chicken broth that is very comfort food - and paired with a single scallop dressed in zesty spicy sauce for that kick. Really yummy!

Then we had the heavenly 5 kebabs - The Murg Lemongrass Kebab, Malmali Seekh Bebab, Honey Dill Grilled Prawn, Paneer Chupa Rustom and Jalepeno Corn Kebab. All really good, with the jalepeno being just slightly a beeeeet too spicy for my level.

We were then served with mains! There's a total of 5 dishes, paired with a basket of Naan, garlic naan, lachha parantha and tandoori roti.

The Goan Fish Curry was probably my favorite among the lot. It was served at table side on a sizzling hot plate with sauce added to it.

The mutton just melted off the bone. Apparently it's cooked in the shank so that the marrow will go into the sauce.

Among the 4, my favorite would be the palak paneer, always so comforting.

Followed by the mango curry which came from the chef's hometown and his grandmother's recipe. How. cool. is. that. Tasted tangy, sweet and packing some spice. It is the most special curry that I've tasted to date. Mango curry. Beat that.

Lastly, before you know it all the food started expanding and having a curry champagne chai party in your tummy and you are too full.

But you can't stop before dessert is served! We all joked about how it would be horribly terrifying and funny if it was GULAP (google it, really). But instead, it was a delightful trio of Bailey's Kulfi, Rose and Elaichi Panna Cotta and Gajar Halwa (warm and savory dessert). I liked the Bailey's kulfi with that cinnamon stick in the middle. After a while it will melt, and you can take it up like an ice cream stick. The panna cotta was rather delicate in taste and a fine ending to a fine meal.

And there's also a really cool gift that comes with the gourmet dinner trail. A set of 4 storybook coasters. How thoughtful, and in sync with the restaurant's tagline!

From 28 November 2013 to 1 Jan 2014 there's also going to be a festive menu!

TANDOOR SPREADS CHRISTMAS CHEER WITH THE EXOTIC TASTES OF INDIA

Singapore, 28 October 2013 – Tandoor invites diners to celebrate Christmas with an Indian touch. A special festive menu and gourmet takeaway options will be available throughout this holiday season from Thanksgiving on 28 November 2013 to New Year’s Day on 1 January 2014.

Priced at an affordable $58++, the 4-course Festive Gourmet Menu takes diners through 10 dishes which include two main course options. Unique Christmas-inspired dishes created especially for the menu include a hearty Roast Pumpkin and Clove Soup laced with fresh cream and a delectable Christmas Mince Pie a la Indiana stuffed with semolina, dried fruit and topped with berries. Diners can delight in offerings hot out of the Tandoor oven like the Turkey Pankhi, turkey breast stuffed with lightly spiced cream cheese and mushrooms; and Turkey Raan, tender turkey legs braised in a rich cinnamon-spiced Turkey stock served with gravy. Perennial favourites from Tandoor’s a la carte menu, like the Murg Tikka and Mahi Rai, will also be served.

Four turkey dishes laced with Tandoor’s traditional Indian influences are also available as dine-in and takeaway options. These sumptuous offerings are perfect for hosts looking to satisfy their Christmas cravings with something different. The Roast Turkey andTandoori Turkey (both $88++) are whole birds lightly marinated with aromatic Indian spices. While the Roast Turkey also has cream cheese, both dishes have a rich potato and dried fruit stuffing, and are served with gourmet vegetables as well as an addictive cranberry chilli sauce. The two turkey mains from the Festive Gourmet Menu, Turkey Pankhi and Turkey Raan (both $32++), can also be ordered a la carte or enjoyed with loved ones in the warmth of home – portions are good for two people and are equivalent to a quarter of a whole turkey. Takeaway orders must be made three days in advance.

If you are a local who knows where exactly to get your Indian fix for cheap, you don't have to go to Tandoor. But for anyone uninitiated looking for a easy way to sample the best available in the most convenient and pleasant way, visit Tandoor, and get a story to start your meal with.

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I'm Alexis Cheong - A Singapore food and lifestyle blogger. Passionate about good food, travel and beauty or gadgets. This blog is a place where I want to share all the things I love with over 28,000 views per month. Feel free to contact me to say hello or find out how we can collaborate.